LONDON — Darren McWhorter’s North Laurel Jaguars seem to be peaking at the right time.
They defeated the region’s No. 3 ranked team to open the week and followed with an impressive 4-3 win over the region’s hottest team — Bell County (14-5), snapping the Bobcats’ 10-game win streak in the process.
The Jaguars (16-14) fell behind 3-0 in the top of the third inning before responding with four unanswered runs to seal the win.
“Freshman Tanner Houchens got his first varsity start of the season and rose to the occasion and picked up his first varsity win of the season,” McWhorter said. “Cam Hinkle came in and closed the game out for the second time this week. We again played great defensively and hit the ball well enough to get the win, 4-3. We will end the week at Harlan County Friday, which was a late addition and Perry Central on Saturday. It was another great day to be a Jaguar.”
North Laurel scored a run in the bottom of the third, added two runs in the bottom of the fourth before scoring a run in the bottom of the fifth.
Tanner Houchens picked up his first varsity win, tossing 5 1/3 of an inning while allowing only two hits and three earned runs. He struck out four batters. Cam Hinkle recorded the save, allowing only one hit in 1 2/3 of scoreless innings. Hinkle fanned three batters.
Hinkle also delivered two hits, an RBI and scored once while Carter Kelley finished with two hits and an RBI. Cameron Smith had two hits while Andrew Cupp delivered a hit and an RBI. Cooper Parman connected with a double and scored once while J. Douglas Gilliam scored once.
